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On Twitter, Eavesdropper Reveals Former N.S.A. Head’s Train Chat

WASHINGTON — It was just a background conversation on the Acela train ride north on Thursday.

Or so thought Michael V. Hayden, the former head of the National Security Agency, as he chatted away with three journalists who called him for comment on the recent reports of N.S.A. eavesdropping on the leaders of France and Germany.

What Mr. Hayden did not realize was that a passenger a few seats away was doing some eavesdropping of his own.

Photo

Tom Matzzie, left, and Michael V. Hayden, a former head of the National Security Agency, on a train Thursday.

Tom Matzzie, a former Washington director of the political group MoveOn.org, was so intrigued by the tidbits he heard from Mr. Hayden, who is also a former C.I.A. director, that he pulled out his cellphone and started posting Twitter messages.

Reached Thursday night on the Acela home to Washington from a speech in Newark, Mr. Hayden said, “I cannot recall a single disparaging comment I made about the administration,” disputing Mr. Matzzie’s post. “I wasn’t saying anything sensitive or classified. These were just routine conversations. I can’t believe you guys are making such a big deal out of this.”

Mr. Hayden, who these days works in cybersecurity and teaches at George Mason University, said before he got off the train in Newark, he went over to Mr. Matzzie and they “had a nice conversation” about the Fourth Amendment, the N.S.A.’s surveillance activities, and their mutual hometown: Pittsburgh.

While they did not reach agreement on the surveillance issue, Mr. Hayden said he agreed to pose for a photo with his new Twitter correspondent before hopping off the train.

David E. Sanger contributed reporting.

A version of this article appears in print on October 25, 2013, on Page A16 of the New York edition with the headline: Eavesdropper Tweets Ex-N.S.A. Head’s Chat. Order Reprints|Today's Paper|Subscribe